Rock loading machine



1962 A. R. BIEDESS 3,048,287

ROCK LOADING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A T RNE YS 1962 A. R. BIEDESS 3,048,28?

ROCK LOADING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TO NE YS 3,tl4-8,287 ROCK LOADING MACHINE Anthony R. Biedess, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill.,'a corporation of Illinois Filed June 15, 1961, Ser. No. 117,389

5 Claims. (Cl. 214-90) This invention relates to improvements in rockloading machines and more particularly relatesto an improved boom support for supporting and elevating the digger bucket into various desired digging positions. 7 In rock loading machines of the type where the digger bucket discharges directly onto a conveyor and ispivotally supported on the forward end of a boom structure, and depends therefrom into engagement withthe' ground, to be crowded along the ground to pickup aload of rock or other loose material by advanceof the machine and supporting ,boom structure for the "digger bucket along the ground, the boom structure is vertically ad'- justed by fluid pressure jacks. which iraise or lower the digger bucket to position theleading'edge of the bucket alongthe ground. It is desirable that the digger bucket when once adjusted return to substantially; the same position with respect to the ground'a'fter each loading operation and that the digger bucket discharge directly into the elevating conveyor 'of the machine inorder to avoid spillage. and to facilitate the {loading operation.

It is also necessary that the conveyor audits hopper be spaced a sufficient distance above the ground to provide clearance between. the bottom of theconveyor and the ground, to preventthe machine from becoming'hu'ng up on the conveyor during manipulation and transportation ofthe machine from place to place.

end portionfand along opposite sides of the conveyor to retain the loose rock onto the conveyor, and the discharge end portion of the digger bucket moves into the hopper along the front edge thereof so as to discharge itsvload as close to the conveyor as possible. With this arrangement, as'the digger bucket is moving to a dis- In such machines, a hopper extends across the front charge po-sition,.it rolls along the front upper edge of the hopper, with the result that the linkage mechanism elevating the digger bucket raises the boom about its axis of connection to the main frame of the machine by the reaction of the digger bucket along the front of the hopper.

.Where extensible power members are used to elevate the boom structure supporting the digger bucket, and to retain said boom structure in various positions of elevation, and where the extensible power means is a pair of vertically extending cylinders and pistons extending along opposite sides of the hopper for the conveyor and pivotally connected with the boom structure, the vacuum created in the cylinders by the attempted lifting of the boom structure by the digger bucket, will hold the boom structure from moving upwardly as the digger bucket moves to its discharge position with the result that additional valves must be provided in the fluid pressure system supplying fluid pressure to the cylinders, to relieve this vacuum and accommodate free vertical movement of the boom structure as the digger bucket moves 'chargeposition. I ,1 v These and other objects of the ihventionwill. appear from time to timeas the following specification proceeds herein be shown or described further.

Patented Aug. 7, 1362 My invention hasas its principal objects to simplify the fluid pressure system for elevating the boom strucf 1 tures of rock loading machines, assuring the digger bucket return to a pre-set gathering position at the end of each loading position and accommodating vfree upward movement of, the boom structure, as the digger bucket is moved to a discharge position, by providing a floating elevating connection for the boomstructure, elevating the boom structure and accommodating free elevating movement of the boom structure as the digger bucket moves to its discharge position. v 4y 3 A further object of the. invention is to provide an improved elevating means for the boom structureof a rock-loading machine, in which a digger bucketjispivot ally supported on the front end. of. theboorn structure and depends therefrom into engagement with the grouhd', and extends in advance thereof, accommodating the digger bucket to roll along the front edge of'theghopper for the elevating conveyor of the machine andfr'eely'lift prove upon the elevating mechanism for theb'oom structure of a'rock loading machine having a diggeri'bucke't pivoted to the forward end of the boom structure anddepending therefrom, by supporting the forward end{ por,tion of the boom structure on elevating cylinders and pistons, and by providing a free extensible supporting connection between the elevating cylinders and pistons and theboom structure,'maintain ing the digger bucket in" a preselected position with respect? tofthe ground, foreach gathering operation and accommodating. free vertical evement I 'of' the boom structure with respect to the elevating cylinders" and pistons as the, digger bucket is moved to a disand with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: v a l f FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view.- in side elevation of a rock loading machine constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the digger bucket int-position to be crowded into the material tobeloaded in solid, and showing the digger bucket in its discharge-position by broken lines, with the supporting boom structure for the digger bucket shown by broken lines in the elevated position it assumes as the digger discharge position; and a 7.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken through a form of hydraulic jack. that may be used to holdv the bucket moves to its boom structure supportingthedigger bucket'ina desired position of adjustment and to elevate and lower'the boonrstructure as required, showing theijack'in the position it will assume as the digger bucket elevates the boom structure'with respect to the jack, as the digger bucket reaches its discharge position. i' I In the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in FIG- URE 1 of the drawings, the machine generally includes a main frame 10 mounted on rubber tire mounted traction wheels 11, propelling the machine along the ground and crowding a-digger bucket 12 on the forward end of a supporting and elevating boom structure 13' into the material to be loaded. The traction wheels 11 maybe driven in a manner similar to that shown and described in my application Serial No. 9,501 filed February 18, 1960, and entitled Rock- Loading Machines so not An inclined elevating conveyor15 extends along the main frame 10 from the forward end thereof and over the top of said main frame for elevating the material loaded thereon by the digger bucket 12, and discharging the loaded material onto a suitable material transporting means, such as a truck, a conveyor or the like. The elevating conveyor 15 may be of any well known form, such as a chain and flight conveyor like that shown in my application Serial No. 10,715 filed February 24, 1960, and entitled Loading Machine and may be driven by a suitable motor. The elevating conveyor 15 has a hopper 16 extending along opposite sides thereof having the usual outwardly flared side plates and connected together at the forward ends thereof by an end plate 17 extending across the conveyor 15. The end plate 17 has a lip 19 which may be in the form of a hardened rod, extending along its upper end portion and engaged by a rear wall 20 of the digger bucket 12, as the digger bucket moves upwardly to its discharge position.

The boom structure 13 supporting and elevating the digger bucket 12 includes parallel spaced boom arms 21, extending along each side of the hopper 16 and beyond the forward end thereof and connected together at their forward ends by a cross-tube 22 as in my aforementioned application Serial No. 10,715.

The boom arms 21 are pivotally mounted at their rear ends on the outsides of the hopper 16 on pivot pins 23, mounted on blocks 24 and extending inwardly therefrom toward the hopper 16. The blocks 24 are welded or otherwise secured to a support structure 25 extending upwardly from the main frarne along opposite sides of thehopper 16. The pivot pins 23 also form pivotal mountings for actuating levers 27 for the bucket 12.

Each boom arm 21 is adjustably supported adjacent the forward end portion of the conveyor on a hydraulic jack 29 having a floating or freely extensible support rod 30, shown in FIGURE 2 as being threaded through a transverse pin 31 pivotally mounted at its ends in parallel spaced arm portions 32 and 33 of the boom arm 21. The inner arm portion 33 of the boom arm 21 has a depending leg portion 35 extending inwardly of the hydraulic jack 29 having slidable bearing engagement with a bearing plate 36 extending vertically along the outer side of the hopper 16, and forming a slidable hearing connection between the boom arm 21 and the hopper 16.

The digger bucket 12 is transversely pivoted to the forward end portion of the boom structure 13 on laterally spaced cars 37, extending rearwardly from side walls 39 of said digger bucket. The ears 37 are pivotally mounted on transverse pivot pins 40 at the forward upper end portion of the boom structure 13.

A bellcrank 41 is pivotally mounted on each side wall 39 of the bucket 12 on a pivot pin 43. The bellcrank 41 has a depending arm or leg having an engaging end portion 44 engageable with a stop member 45 extending outwardly of the side wall 39. It will be noted that the engaging end portion 44 engages beneath the stop 45 to accommodate the digger bucket 12 to freely pivot upwardly about the axis of the pivot pins 40 as said digger bucket rides over irregularities in the ground, when it is being crowded into loose rock or the like during the loading operation. The bellcrank 41 also has an upwardly extending lever arm 46 having a clevis 47 of an adjustable link 49 pivotally connected to its upper end on a pivot pin 50. The opposite end of the adjustable link 49 from the bellcrank 41 has a clevis 51 threaded thereon and extending along opposite sides of the actuating lever 27 and pivotally connected therewith on a pivot pin 53. The actuating lever 27 is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 55 having a piston rod 56 extensible therefrom. The hydraulic cylinder 55 has a connector 57 extending from its head and between the arm portions 32 and 33 of the boom arm 21 and pivotally connected thereto on a pivot pin 59. The piston rod 56 extends between connector plates 60 welded or otherwise secured to opposite sides of the actuator 27 intermediate the ends thereof, and is pivotally connected to said connector plates as by a pivot pin 61.

Suitable valves (not shown) are provided to control the admission and release of fluid under pressure to the head and piston rod ends of the cylinders 55 to extensi bly move the piston rods 56 and initially pivot the digger bucket 12 upwardly by engagement of the engaging end portion 44- of the bellcrank 41 with the stop 45 and to then move said digger bucket to a discharge position by the direct pull of the link 49 on the upstanding arm 46 of the bellcrank 41, to move the digger bucket to the discharge position shown by broken lines in FIGURE 1, as has been more fully described in my aforementioned application Serial No. 10,715, so not herein shown or described further.

As the digger bucket is moved to its discharge position by the direct pull of the link 49 on the pivot pin 43 through the bellcrank 41, the rear wall 20 of the digger bucket comes into engagement with the lip 19 and rolls over said lip during the initial movement of said digger bucket to its discharge position, and then lifts the boom structure 13 by the sliding reaction of the rear wall 20 of the digger bucket 13 on the lip 19, as the digger bucket is moved to discharge its load onto the conveyor 15, the elevated position of the boom being indicated in FIG- URE 1 by broken lines A.

Referring now in particular to the elevating means for the boom structure 13 for elevating and retaining the digger bucket 12 in various elevated positions with respect to the ground, the hydraulic jacks 29 each include a cylinder 65 having a piston 66 therein having a piston rod 67 extending from said piston through an end cap 69 therefor, for extensible and retractible movement with respect to the cylinder 65, upon the admission or release of fluid under pressure to or from a head end 70 of said cylinder, through a pressure pipe 71, under the control of a valve 73. The cylinder 65 has trunnion pins 74 extending therefrom, trunnioned in a bracket 75 extending forwardly of the main frame 10.

A return line 76 leads from the piston rod end of the cylinder 65 and serves as a vent line venting the piston rod end of the cylinder 65 and accommodating free vertical movement of the piston 66 upwardly along the cylinder 65 upon the admission of fluid under pressure to the head end of said cylinder, and free downward movement of said piston and the 'boom structure 13 as well as the digger bucket 12, upon the release of fluid under pressure from the head end of said cylinder.

The piston rod 67 has a hollow portion 77 opening to the upper end thereof and having a bushing 78 for the support rod 30 mounted in its upper end. The floating support rod 30 slidably extends through the bushing 78 and has an enlarged head 79 at its lower end, slidably engaging the wall of the hollow portion 77 and abutting the bottom of said hollow portion when fluid under pressure is admitted to the head ends of the cylinders 65, to elevate the boom structure 13 and bucket 12.

Thus, as fluid under pressure is admitted to the head ends of the cylinders 65 to pivot the digger bucket 12 upwardly into a discharge position and as the rear wall 20 of the digger bucket engages the lip 19 extending across the front of the hopper 16 and rolls along said lip, the reaction of the digger bucket against the stationary lip 19 will effect elevation of the boom structure 13 from the solid line position shown in FIGURE 1 to the broken line position A shown in this figure. During this movement, the floating support rod 30 will be extensibly moved along the hollow portion 77 of the piston rod 67, accommodating free vertical movement of the boom structure, and thereby accommodating the digger bucket 12 to move with its discharge end within the hopper 16 to the discharge position shown by broken lines in FIGURE 1.

As the digger bucket is moved downwardly to the loading position shown in FIGURE 1, fluid under pressure is admitted to the piston rod ends of the cylinders 65, relieving pressure of the digger bucket from the lip 19, and accommodating lowering movement of the boom structure from the broken line position A shown in FIG- URE 1 to the solid line position shown in this figure. During movement of the digger bucket the support rods 30 move downwardly alongvthepiston rods 61, until the head ends 79 thereof come into engagement with the bottoms of the hollow portions 77 of said piston rods. The support rods 30 will then remain in this position during the gathering operation, and during adjustable movement of the boom structure by the hydraulic jacks.

It may be seen from the foregoing that an improved form of supporting arrangement for supporting and adjusting the digging elevation of the digger bucket 12 has been provided, in which a floating connection is provided between the pistons of the hydraulic jacks and the boom arm structure, maintaining the digger bucket in a preselected position with respect to the ground for each gathering operation and accommodating elevating movement of the boom arm structure with respect to the hydraulic jack-s, as the digger bucket moves to its discharge position, and thereby accommodating the position-ing of the forward end portion of the hopper for the conveyor to be arranged closely adjacent the digger bucket, and accommodating the digger bucket to move Within the hopper to discharge it load onto the conveyor entirely within the hopper, without spillage.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invent-ion may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing froni the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a rock loading machine, a mobile main frame, a conveyor extending along said mainframe from the forward end thereof and having a hopper extending along opposite sides thereof and across the forward end thereof, a boom transversely pivoted to said frame and extending forwardly of the forward end thereof, a digger bucket transversely pivoted to the forward end of said boom and extending in advance thereof and depending therefrom into engagement with the ground, extensible power means, and a link and leverage connection between said extensible power means and said digger bucket for pivotally moving said digger bucket upwardly to a loading position with its discharge end movable within said hopper, other extensible power means for moving said boom about its axis of connection to said frame, said last mentioned extensible power means having a floating connection with said boom, moving said boom upwardly by the compressive forces between said extensible power means and said boom, accommodating free upward movement of said boom independently of said extensible power means, effected by engagement of said digger bucket with said hopper as it moves to a discharge position, and selecting the gathering position of said digger bucket.

2. In a rock loading machine, a mobile main frame, a conveyor extending along said main frame from the forward end thereof and having a hopper extending along opposite sides of said conveyor and across the forward end thereof, a boom transversely pivoted to said main frame and extending forwardly of the forward end thereof, a digger bucket extending in advance of said boom and transversely pivoted to the forward end of said boom and depending therefrom for engagement with the ground and having a discharge end portion extending above the axis of connection of said digger bucket to said boom, extensible power means pivotally mounted on said boom, and a link and leverage connection between said first extensible power means and said digger bucket for pivotally moving said digger bucket upwardly into a discharge position with its discharge end within said hopper and overlapping the front of said conveyor, second extensible power means connected between said main frame and said boom for vertically moving said boom about its axis of connection to said main frame, said second extensible power means including a'vertically movable member pivot- I nection of said digger bucket to said boom, and having a port for said member, and an extensibly movable connec- 'tion between said member and said support accommodating free upward movement of said vertically movable 7 member with respect to said support as the discharge end portion of said digger bucket engages said hopper, accommodating free movement of said boom vertically with respect'to' said support into a discharge position within said hopper and retaining said boom structure and diggerbucket in a preselected position with respect to the ground for each gathering operation. a

3/ In a rock loading machine, a-mobile main frame, a conveyor extending along said main frame from the forward end thereof and having a hopper extending along opposite sides of said conveyor and across the forward end of said main frame, a boom structure transversely pivoted to said main frame rearwardly of the forward end thereof and extending along opposite sides of said hopper forwardly of the forward end thereof, a digger bucket extending in advance of said boom structure and transversely pivoted to the forward end of said boom structure and depending therefrom and having a discharge end portion extending above the axis of connection of said digger bucket to said boom structure when said digger bucket is in a loading position along the ground, and movable within said hopper when said digger bucket is in a discharge position, actuating mechanism for said digger bucket for lifting said digger bucket from a loading position along the ground into a discharge position with its discharge end portion within said hopper, comprising at least one cylinder and piston pivotally connected to said boom and a leverage and linkage connection between said cylinder and piston and said digger bucket, at least one hydraulic cylinder'and piston supporting said boom structure and vertically moving said boom structure about its axis of pivotal connection to said main frame, and a floating connection between said cylinder and piston andsaid boom structure vertically pivoting said boom structure and digger bucket by compressive engagement between said floating connection and said boom structure and accommodating free upward movement of said boom structure with respect to said cylinder and piston by the reaction of the discharge end portion of said digger bucket along the front of said hopper, and thereby accommodating said digger bucket to move with its discharge end portion within said hopper to discharge the loose material thereto and supporting said boom structure and digger bucket in a preselected position with respect to the ground for each gathering operation.

4. In a rock loading machine, a mobile main frame, a conveyor extending rearwardly along said main frame, a hopper extending along opposite sides of said conveyor and across the forward end thereof, said hopper having a bearing lip extending across the forward end thereof at the upper end portion thereof, a boom transversely pivoted to said frame rearwardly of the forward end thereof and extending forwardly of the forward end thereof beyond the forward end of said conveyor, a digger bucket extending in advance of and transversely pivoted to the forward end of said boom and depending therefrom into a loading position into engagement with the ground, and having a discharge end portion extending above the axis of conrear end wall engageable with said bearing lip, at least one hydraulic cylinder and piston transversely pivoted to said boom intermediate the ends thereof, and a linkage and leverage connection between said hydraulic cylinder and piston and said digger bucket for moving said digger bucket into a discharge position with its discharge end within said hopper, at least one hydraulic cylinder and piston transversely pivoted to said main frame adjacent the forward end thereof and extending upwardly from the point of connection of said hydraulic cylinder and piston to said main frame, said last mentioned hydraulic cylinder and piston including an extensible connecting rod transversely pivoted to said boom at its upper end and vertically moving said boom by compressive engagement between said piston and connecting rod and accommodating free extensible movement of said connecting rod with respect to said cylinder, to accommodate the rear end portion of said digger bucket rolling along said bearing lip, to freely lift said boom with respect to said cylinder and move with its discharged end portion within said hopper and to support the boom and digger bucket in a preselected position with respect to the ground for each gathering operation.

5. A rock loading machine in accordance with claim 4 wherein the extensible piston rod includes a piston rod extending vertically through the piston rod end of said cylinder for extensible movement with respect thereto and having an upwardly opening hollow portionhaving a bushing therein, and includes a rod portion within said hollow portion slidably guided within said bushing for extensible and retractible movement with respect to said rod portion, and having a lower enlarged head portion slidably guided within said hollow portion of said piston rod and supported thereon during the gathering operation and elevation of said digger bucket.

Andersen Jan. 9, 1951 Biedess Jan. 22, 1952 

